Clerk/ Finance Officer Stinchcombe Parish Council

Stinchcombe is a small, community-spirited, rural Parish situated largely on the escarpment between Berkeley Vale and the beginning of the Cotswolds, and is located between Cam and North Nibley.  With approximately 480 residents, there are 187 properties found in three main areas of the Village.  Most of the Parish is within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an important factor in residents’ decision to live there.

The Parish Council is looking to appoint a Clerk/Finance Officer for 2-3 hours a week to replace our current clerk on their retirement. The role would suit someone with an enthusiasm for local affairs who is interested in supporting the Council to build on its work and take Stinchcombe further forward. The successful candidate would ideally be a competent administrator with great communication and I.T skills, and have experience of preparing simple accounts and formal meeting agendas/minutes.

From April 2024 the hourly rate will be £12.50 – £14.50 per hour depending on experience.

The Parish Council would value receiving applications from people of all backgrounds. 

To be considered please e-mail your CV / outline of your qualifications, experience, skills and abilities relevant to the role, to the Chair of the Parish Council at dr.a.macfarlane@icloud.com by 5pm on Wednesday 27th March. 

Interviews are expected to be held on Tuesday 2nd April.

Job Description

Job Purpose

The Clerk to the Parish Council is also the Responsible Financial Officer and as such carries a statutory duty to carry out required administrative and governance functions for the Council including for financial affairs.

Main Duties

• To ensure that statutory and other provisions governing or affecting the running of the Council are observed.
• To prepare, in consultation with the Chair, agendas for meetings, attend meetings and prepare minutes for approval.
• To receive correspondence and documents on behalf of the Council referring on matters for discussion by the Council.
• To act as a first point of contact for Parishioners and ensure correspondence and queries are acknowledged and followed up seeking advice from Council Members.
• To be the Responsible Financial Officer for the Council and prepare simple financial reports as required, pay invoices in a timely way and keep accurate financial records for audit purposes.
• Support colleagues to keep the Council website updated and informative for local residents.
• Research and source information and documentation to support Council Members to conduct Council business effectively.
• To act as a representative of the Council as required
• To attend required training to ensure that administrative duties and responsibilities are understood and continue to acquire knowledge required for the efficient management of Council affairs.

Essential Criteria for the Candidate

• Computer literate and confident in the use of email and Microsoft Office products ideally with some experience of updating websites
• Previous experience of taking formal minutes at meetings
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and in writing
• Experience of working with and responding to the public
• Interested in local affairs.

Stinchcombe Safari Supper
Friday 1st March 2024

What an amazing evening we all had at the 3rd Village Safari Supper, such a popular event!

Altogether, 75 people enjoyed canapes and drinks in the church followed by delicious dinner and wine with their hosts around the village followed by puddings, cheese, port, coffee, tea and more wine back at St Cyr’s.

The raffle was, as usual, fantastically popular, raising nearly £600 with terrific prizes which were all so generously donated by local people. This year the Friends of St Cyr are specifically raising funds to install “state of the art infra-red heating in the church, a major project which will allow us to be more cost efficient and work towards being carbon neutral. We also need to fund £10,000 worth of roof repairs replacing all the ridge tiles.

The Safari Supper raised nearly £2,500 and we thank all our hosts around the village: The Battys, Browns, Jelfs, Leggates, Leggs, McFarlane/Woolfendens, Pinches and the Thomases.

Thanks also to everyone who donated raffle prizes and those who made canapes and puddings. A huge thanks to all our guests from the village, from Minchinhampton golf club and everyone who travelled to support the event. A massive special thanks to Roger Batty and Lynn Brown who led and organized the whole evening, we are indebted to them.

Hopefully for the next Safari Supper we will have created more circulation space at the back of the church and our new heating system will be up and running. Can’t wait!!!

Russ Legg

Join us for 2024 – see how far we’ve come together and where we’re heading

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the RNLI founded on March 4th 1824 by Sir William Hillary.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has been saving lives at sea since it was founded in 1824 and, since then, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have rescued over 144,000 people. 

From triumphs to tragedies; from oar-powered vessels to the technology-packed boats used today; from introducing the first lifeboats on the River Thames to rolling-out a UK beach lifeguard service; from running the UK’s biggest ever drowning prevention campaign to working with others to save lives overseas – the RNLI has a remarkable 200-year story. 

Today, the charity operates 238 lifeboat stations and has seasonal lifeguards on over 240 beaches around the UK and Ireland. It designs and builds its own lifeboats and runs domestic and international water safety programmes.

While developments over the course of 200 years have changed how the charity saves lives, some things remain the same. Volunteers have given time and commitment over the past two centuries, as they continue to do today. And charitable donations still power the RNLI’s lifesaving.

Russ

RNLI Dursley Branch

The RNLI Dursley Branch started a mere 60 odd years ago and still remains pretty active. This year we have already organised a fund-raising Curry Evening and have the following events planned:

• Sunday April 7th. – 5 Peaks Walk, a sponsored local walk. (more info: Johns.williams@talk21.com)
• Sunday May 19th. – Cream Tea, Uley Playing field Pavillion
• Friday July 19th – Our major fund raiser, an Evening at Swinhay with Dinner, a short Talk, Dancing and a Promises Auction
  ( for further details contact Russ Holloway : jillandruss9@gmail.com)
• Sunday 1st Sept. – Tortworth Lake Walk
• Saturday 16th Nov. – Barn Dance, Coaley Village Hall

RHLI Wotton Branch

The RNLI (Wotton-under-Edge & Thornbury District Branch) will be marking this anniversary with a special Guest Speaker Evening on Thursday 14th March.

The illustrated talk will cover the 200-year history of the RNLI and the “guest” speaker will be John Barnett – the Branch Chairman and RNLI Community Presenter. This talk is an expansion of one given previously to a U3A group studying 19th Century history – literally brought up to date.

This year, the talk will be held in a lecture theatre at the Renishaw plc, New Mills site and will start at 8.00pm (doors open
at 7.30pm). Those coming should enter the site directly from the roundabout – not at the front entrance.

As with previous Guest Speaker Evenings, attendance will be by ticket (priced £10) – either purchased in advance or reserved to be paid for on the night. Tickets can be purchased from the Coventy Building Society or from the Cotswold Book Room (both in Long Street, W-u-E).

Alternatively, tickets can be obtained by contacting:

• the Branch via e-mail: wuernli@gmail.com
• John Barnett at jabwrnli@gmail.com

John Barnett
Chairman – RNLI Wotton-under-Edge & Thornbury District Branch

Find other RNLI 200 events.

Elections and Photo ID

Remember, on all Elections like Thursday 2 May 2024 – electors must present photo ID at the polling station before a ballot paper can be issued.

Here’s all you need to know about voter ID:

• The full list of acceptable photo ID can be found at www.stroud.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/elections/voter-id
• Only original copies of documents can be presented in the polling station.
• Photo ID can be expired as long as it resembles you.
• Postal voters will not need to present photo ID.
• For electors who have appointed a proxy to vote on their behalf, the proxy will need to bring their own photo ID.
• If you do not have an acceptable form of photo ID, you can apply free-of-charge for a Voter Authority Certificate at www.stroud.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/elections/voter-id It is valid for up to 10 years as long as the photo resembles you. Make sure you have applied by Wednesday 24 April 2024.

For further information and questions? Email elections@stroud.gov.uk or call 01453 766321.

At the public consultations held at the Village Hall in November 2022 a small number of concerns were raised about the proposed improvement project. One concern was how poor the acoustics are and they were not part of the proposed improvements.

The Trustees had, prior to the meetings been discussing and prioritising the Hall needs. There were originally 6 needs identified. Due to potential costs and increasing an already large expensive project it was decided to make the other 5 needs our main priority and incorporate them into One project. The acoustics was therefore dropped from this improvement project.

Having listened to the concerns changes were made and the Trustees made “The acoustics” the highest priority and it became ‘phase 1’. We are very pleased to say that ‘The Acoustics’ was completed today and anyone who visits the main Hall will certainly notice a huge improvement.

We are still fundraising with the Ladies Fashion Show coming up shortly and Two further events planned.

All the money raised will be split with other Village organisations. This I believe is a great idea to be working with other needy organisations. We are discussing a possible Summer event making use of our much improved amenity area with enlarged patio.

The recent Comedy Evening fundraiser was a great success with over 100 attending and some great feedback, as a result the Committee are considering repeating it next February with a few minor ‘tweaks’ any suggestions gladly received.

If you have any suggestions for fundraising please contact any of the Committee who’s details are on the website https://stinchcombehall.org.uk/resources/ 

We still need to raise a very large amount to be able to finish the whole project and this is likely to take many years. Don’t forget the Tesco Blue Disc scheme which runs until the end of March. 

The Hall belongs to the residents of Stinchcombe held in Trust by the Parish Council and managed by a Committee of dedicated Trustees, all you support is valued and very much appreciated.

Finally the Hall is 70 years old next month and we aim to keep it in good order and improved for future generations to enjoy so please support us in any way you can.

Charlie Oakhill
(Chairman Stinchcombe Village Hall)